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The Role of Statin Therapy for Primary Prevention: What is the Evidence?

  • Coronary Heart Disease (J Farmer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Almost one third of annual worldwide mortality is attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD), making it the leading cause of global death. Dyslipidemia is a well-established risk factor for CVD and plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Statins, which inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, have emerged as the most effective therapy to date against atherothrombotic CVD. Although their role in secondary prevention of CVD is undisputed, it remains a topic for debate as to how widely they should be used for primary prevention. The Framingham Risk Score and the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines are the cornerstones for the current guidelines for primary prevention statin therapy. Although these guidelines serve as help to evaluate cardiovascular risk and effectively identify many patients who will benefit from statin therapy, there is a growing population of “intermediate-risk” patients who may be undertreated. Additional noninvasive tests may complement the traditional risk scores, potentially expanding the indications for statins.

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Disclosure

R.R. Ascunce: none; J.S. Berger has been a consultant for AstraZeneca and has received a grant (payable to his institution) from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; H.S. Weintraub: none; A. Schwartzbard has received honoraria from Gilead, Takeda, Merck, and Eli Lilly for service on their speakers bureaus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA

    Rebecca Rudominer Ascunce, Jeffrey S. Berger & Howard S. Weintraub

  2. Division of Cardiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, and Manhattan Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY, USA

    Arthur Schwartzbard

  3. Medical Center, Department of Cardiology, VA NY Harbor HealthCare System, 12West 423 East 23rd Street, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Arthur Schwartzbard

Authors
  1. Rebecca Rudominer Ascunce
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  2. Jeffrey S. Berger
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  4. Arthur Schwartzbard
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Correspondence to Arthur Schwartzbard.

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Ascunce, R.R., Berger, J.S., Weintraub, H.S. et al. The Role of Statin Therapy for Primary Prevention: What is the Evidence?. Curr Atheroscler Rep 14, 167–174 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-012-0229-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-012-0229-0

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